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2025-09-11Cryptography

Cryptography in Cybersecurity

A simple guide for aspiring SOC analysts to the four goals cryptography enables — confidentiality, integrity, authentication, and non-repudiation — and the three types that make it possible.

Part 1 of 3 — Cryptography
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A Simple Guide for Aspiring SOC Analysts

Introduction

As an aspiring SOC analyst, one of the first concepts I came across in cybersecurity is cryptography. It may look complex, but cryptography is really about protecting information — it ensures that data stays safe when stored or shared.

What is Cryptography?

Cryptography is the method of turning plain information into a secret code. Only the right people, with the right key, can unlock and read it. This prevents outsiders from stealing or changing the data.

Why Does it Matter in Cybersecurity?

In cybersecurity, protecting data is one of the main goals. This is where cryptography helps, with:

  • Confidentiality: Only the intended person can see the information.
  • Integrity: The information cannot be changed without being noticed.
  • Authentication: Verifying that the sender is real.
  • Non-repudiation: The sender cannot deny that they sent the information.

Examples of Cryptography in Daily Life

We already use cryptography without realizing it:

  • Locking your phone with a password or fingerprint.
  • Using WhatsApp, which secures chats with encryption.
  • Shopping online with HTTPS websites.

Types of Cryptography

There are three main types:

  1. Symmetric encryption: The same key is used to lock and unlock the data.
  2. Asymmetric encryption: Two different keys are used — a public key to lock and a private key to unlock.
  3. Hashing: Hash functions do not require a key. Instead, they use mathematical algorithms to convert messages of any arbitrary length into a fixed-length output, known as a hash value or digest. Hash functions are designed to be one-way, meaning the original input cannot be derived from the output.

Why SOC Analysts Need to Know This

As a SOC analyst, we deal with logs, alerts, and incidents. Many of these involve encrypted data or attacks against encryption. Having a clear idea of cryptography helps you understand:

  • How attackers try to bypass encryption.
  • How to check if sensitive data is secure.
  • Why certain alerts show up in monitoring tools.

Conclusion

Cryptography is about understanding how data is kept safe. For a SOC analyst, knowing the basics of cryptography builds a strong foundation — it helps us connect the dots between technology and security, making us more confident in handling incidents.

Simply put, cryptography is the language of trust in cybersecurity.